Son is doubting God
Q: One of my sons has decided he’s atheist after diligently seeking the Lord, praying, studying the Bible & asking the Holy Spirit to please speak to him. He’s young. Statistics show the majority of youth have turned from the faith for other means. Do we know this is wrong? Of course. But what we believe isn’t going to help. Living it will help of course.
He just said God has never spoken to him ever even when he was diligently reading His word & praying. Just praying the Holy Spirit reaches him.
He’s seen me pray for years against his dads adultery then his dad left. He thinks God ignored my prayers. Things he tries to accomplish seem to go the opposite way. He was very diligent in Bible study. Now he thinks there’s really no God.
I pray that God draws my son back to Him & that we all keep every young person in prayer every single day. The devil is winning them guys. It’s time we get serious in our battle. Please pray for godly influences in their lives. He only has me praying for him. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
A: We will pray.
Yes it's disheartening to see young people who grew up in a Christian home to turn away from God. They have unlimited access to logic, intellect, anti God videos & Google which just messes up their mind. Christianity is not about being intellectual...it is based on believing-trust by evidence though, and not feelings and emotions. It's heart breaking but don't give up. You have sown the seed and one day it will bear fruit.
One of the biggest reasons children or teens turn out this way is because they have not been educated well at home and by youth leaders on the basic of basic topics such as:
*Evidences that show God exists
*Why facts & evidences vs feelings & emotions
*Why is there suffering
*Why doesnt God answer my prayers
*How does God speak to us
*Why do bad things happen
*What to do when things go wrong
*What God did to fix mankind's mess
*How we need to respond & live
*Verses we need to memorize
*Trust in God & Faith in the Savior no matter what happens in life; see Bible folk for varied lessons in reality.
If your child or teen is doubting God and veering to agnostic-atheism you need to have these conversations right now. And I would invite the Pastor over to have conversations with the child/teen, and the Youth leaders asap asap. They might not listen to you but someone who can articulate the isdues well can be helpful to hopefully pull him back on the right path. Better now than 30 yrs in the wilderness wasting time and his life.
God and The Holy Spirit do not speak to us directly nor audibly; He’s already spoken through natural and special revelation.
John MacArthur Ph.D who has preached over 5000 sermons and has been preaching faithfully around 60 yrs has also said we dont feel the Holy Spirit nor hear him speak. So unless he has embraced charismaticism or is of the "feelings" Gen Z Alpha generation that needs correction, I dont know why he would think he would. He has never heard such an idea in church, not by sermons, nor in Sunday classes, nor in the life of believers in general. He is seeking something that doesnt exist while claiming he doesnt believe in Him who does exist. He just needs help straightening this out.
When you do you, even if his brain isnt fully developed yet, have him use critical thinking skills and move towards common sense when discussing basic proofs of God to him.
He needs to be reminded the world is messed up because of humans sins. God will work all things out for good in the end. Like Job he doesnt know what that is and Job didnt even know all we know that God told us about that mans life nor how it would later end up. But our best life is in eternity not on earth. Hopefully those are also points you can talk about as part of the above.
Here are helpful resources:
ColdcaseChristianity agnostic atheism faq
William Craig Lane & John Knox on God
Smart former atheists about God and conversion here
All the founders of modern Science were Christian. Every area; science, biology, medicine, etc
*How does the Holy Spirit guide us with Scripture hidden in our hearts?
*How does God speak to us mostly?
Teen guidance videos
Various faq & evidences articles & videos
